A life's work as a broadcaster can be measured in many ways: ratings, awards, the sheer number of interviews conducted. But for Larry King, a more intimate metric of his six-decade career is found in the objects he kept. A lifelong, passionate fan of sports—and especially of his beloved Dodgers—King's personal collection is a showcase of his dual identity as a media titan and a starry-eyed kid from Brooklyn who never lost his love for the game. This remarkable assortment of memorabilia, which includes a treasure trove of signed items and other rare artifacts, is now up for auction in "The Larry King Collection," taking place on August 12th at Julien's Studios in Los Angeles.

From Brooklyn to Hollywood

King’s connection to the Dodgers was foundational, dating back to their days in Brooklyn. Born and raised in the borough, King's fandom began in the days of Jackie Robinson, a player he had the immense privilege of seeing play and later interviewing twice in his life. This early exposure to a sports legend who broke barriers clearly left a lasting impression. When the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles in 1958, King's allegiance didn't waver. He too, eventually made the move west, where he would become a global figure as the host of "Larry King Live" on CNN, a show that was primarily broadcast from his studios in Los Angeles.

This journey from one coast to the other is mirrored in the collection itself. Among the items up for bid are several pieces celebrating Jackie Robinson, including a framed display with a piece of a 1953 game-used bat and a silver coin from the team's 50th-anniversary celebration of breaking the color barrier. But the collection doesn't stop with a look back at the past; it also showcases his continued passion for the team in its new home. Items like a baseball signed by Vin Scully, the longtime voice of the Dodgers, a signed baseball and bat from pitching legend Clayton Kershaw, and a jersey worn by King himself during a celebrity game at Dodger Stadium are all up for auction. These pieces represent a continuous thread of fandom that spanned decades and crossed the country.

A Who's Who of Sports Greats

The collection, however, is not limited to just Dodgers memorabilia. It provides a comprehensive look at the A-list athletes King encountered throughout his career. His reputation for asking the right questions and his easygoing interviewing style made him an attractive guest for some of the biggest names in sports, from baseball to basketball, football, and hockey. The auction includes an incredible variety of signed items from these legendary figures.

The baseball artifacts alone are astounding. There are not one but two signed baseballs from Hank Aaron, a player King interviewed multiple times. There's also a commemorative ball signed by both Bobby Thomson and Ralph Branca of "The Shot Heard 'Round the World" fame, an iconic moment in baseball history that King discussed with Branca on his show. Other signed baseballs and bats include those from Willie Mays, Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, and even a humorous one from Pete Rose apologizing for his betting scandal.

Beyond baseball, the collection features a signed jersey from Lakers great Ron Artest (now Metta Sandiford-Artest), autographed books from the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and a signed basketball from former WNBA player and coach Nancy Lieberman. The auction even has items from other major sports, like a signed football from running back and civil rights leader Jim Brown, and a signed stick from Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane. This vast array of artifacts serves as a physical record of the countless interviews King conducted and the relationships he built with some of the most famous athletes in the world.

The Larry King Collection is more than just a grouping of valuable items. It is an extraordinary assembly of personal and professional treasures that provides an intimate look into the life of one of broadcast journalism's most celebrated figures. It reminds us that behind the trademark suspenders and microphone was a man with a deep and enduring love for sports, a fan who got to live out a dream of meeting his heroes and sharing their stories with the world.